A typical building has a roof and one or more gutters adjacent to the roof. The gutters controllably route water flowing off the roof into storm sewers and other appropriate locations where it can do no damage to the building. However, problems occur when gutters are unable to quickly and completely drain water from a roof, as is the case when the gutter becomes obstructed/plugged with leaves, twigs, pine needles, ice, and other debris. When this happens, water flowing off the roof cannot flow through the gutters and into the gutter downspouts. Rather, the water begins flowing and seeping in an uncontrollable manner. The water flowing off the roof may overflow the gutter and undesirably fall in close proximity to the building""s foundation, or it may seep under shingles on the roof where it can then cause portions of the roof and building to decay. None of these scenarios are desirable.
An obstructed gutter becomes a significant problem during cold weather months when air temperatures hover at or below freezing (zero degrees Celsius). Heat loss from the building, along with daytime warming, turns snow and ice on the roof into melt water which flows towards and into the gutter. Then, when air temperatures fall below freezing, the melt water in the gutter quickly freezes. Again and again the same sequence of events occur, and the ice in the gutter builds. An ice dam eventually forms, and the ice choked gutter ceases to function. The ice dam places a great load on the gutter and on the gutter spikes that hold the gutter to the building. Then, melt water flowing from the roof may freeze on top of the ice dam adding to its size, or it may flow over the ice dam and begin dripping off the roof. The dripping melt water may freeze into large, heavy, and destructive icicles.
The problems associated with ice dams and icicles are numerous. For example, the great loads associated with icicles and ice dams can rip gutters completely off a building. This results in structural damage to the building, as well as ruined gutters. Also, property in the path of the falling gutters is frequently damaged.
Even if the gutter is not ripped from the structure, there is an insidious problem associated with ice dams. When water flowing off a roof encounters the ice dam it tends to stagnate, and it eventually begins to seep under the shingles on the building""s roof. Repeated freezing/melting cycles cause the shingles to lift more and more from the roof, and melt water eventually seeps into the interior of the building. Water may then begin dripping inside the structure""s walls and from the ceiling. As a result, the ceiling itself may become water logged and/or permanently stained. Thus, costly water damage can occur because the gutter failed to function in cold weather.
To date, there is no satisfactory solution for the chronic problem of ice choked gutters. For example, some individuals attach electric type resistance heating wires on the roof and in the gutters. However, in addition to being quite expensive to purchase and operate, these wires are of no use in the event of power failure. Yet another drawback with the electric heating wires is that downspouts are difficult to keep ice free. Further, when warm weather returns, time must be spent to remove the heater wires located in the gutter, otherwise the wires will trap leaves and debris.
Thus, there is a need for an inexpensive, effective, easy to manufacture and use apparatus for limiting ice build-up, that is not dependent on an external power source.
The present apparatus provides a solution to the problem of ice clogged gutters and downspouts by limiting the formation of ice dams. The apparatus comprises a housing into which a salt block is loadable. When a snowfall occurs, the snow contacts the salt block, melts into salty melt water, and flows off the salt block and into the gutter. The salty melt water flows through the gutter melting ice it contacts, thus limiting the formation of ice dams in the gutter. The salty melt water then flows through the gutter downspouts keeping them ice free as well. A methodology is also provided setting forth the manners of installing, positioning, and using the apparatus.
The housing comprises side walls and a base. A salt block, sized so as to be receivable inside the housing, is loadable into the housing. The side walls are joined at one end thereof to the base and define a salt block opening through which the salt block is loadable into the housing. Cutouts are defined in one or more of the side walls so that snow may directly contact the salt block. Once the snow contacts the salt block it melts, turns into salty melt water, and flows out of the gutter. The housing may also comprise a hook which allows the housing to be releaseably attachable to the gutter by setting the hook over a gutter spike ferrule or over the end of the gutter. The apparatus may also comprise a lid which is sized so that it is fittable over the salt block. The lid may define a cutout to allow frozen precipitation to pass therethrough and contact the salt block.
An exemplary method of deploying the apparatus comprises loading the salt block into the housing, fitting the lid over the salt block, and positioning the hook over a gutter spike ferrule or the end of the gutter. Then, when snow or freezing rain fall, they melt upon contacting the salt block. Salty melt water flows off the salt block and into the gutter, melting any ice it contacts as it travels. When the salty melt water flows through the downspout, it melts any ice accumulations therein. This process repeats for each subsequent snowfall. Also, in heavy snowfall the gutter may become drifted over with snow. Nevertheless, it will remain substantially free of ice and snow, because the salt block will continue to melt any snow it contacts and the salty melt water will limit ice build-up.
Thus, the apparatus solves the problems associated with ice clogged gutters and the damage associated therewith. These and other advantages of the present apparatus for limiting ice build-up are described in the following detailed description.